1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet of medium such as a sheet of paper, or the like.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine has been known, which includes a main cabinet that has an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet of medium based on image information, an upper cabinet that has an image reader for acquiring image information by reading an image on a document and that is disposed openably and closably at an upper portion of the main cabinet, and a document conveyance unit including a reader cover that is disposed openably and closably at an upper portion of the upper cabinet and covers the image reading unit when the reader cover is closed.
This type of image forming apparatus is provided with a restriction mechanism for preventing the document conveyance unit from opening with respect to the upper cabinet when the upper cabinet is open with respect to the main cabinet. The restriction mechanism prevents a phenomenon in which the document conveyance unit is open with respect to the upper cabinet when the upper cabinet is open with respect to the main cabinet.
The restriction mechanism includes a first engagement member provided at the upper cabinet and a second engagement member that is provided at the reader cover to project towards the upper cabinet and engageable with the first engagement member. The restriction mechanism prevents the reader cover from opening with respect to the upper cabinet when the first engagement member engages with the second engagement member.
When the reader cover is opened or closed by a user while the upper cabinet is closed with respect to the main cabinet, it is likely that the user gets injured due to the projecting second engagement member coming into contact with a hand or the like of the user if the second engagement member projects towards the upper cabinet. Since the second engagement member of the restriction mechanism projects towards the upper cabinet, it is also likely that the user gets injured due to the second engagement member coming into contact with the hand or the like of the user when the user opens or closes the reader cover while the upper cabinet is closed with respect to the main cabinet.